‘Rebus’ Remake Officially Filming Season 2
'Outlander' has concluded, but Richard Rankin isn’t going anywhere, as Season 2 of 'Rebus' heads into production.
Of all the remakes of British police procedural remakes from the 1990s and early aughts, Rebus should be far better known than it is. The original, which aired from 2000 to 2007, first starred John Hannah (The Decameron) as DI John Rebus; Hannah, who also produced the series, exited the role after one season, replaced by Ken Stott (Irvine Welsh’s Crime). All four seasons eventually wound up on PBS (though not under the Masterpiece banner), and were popular enough that a remake should have been an easy sell.
Unfortunately for Americans, it was Viaplay, the Nordic noir-focused niche streamer, who picked up the reboot, the streaming service’s first major English-language commission. Viaplay doesn’t have a presence in the U.K., so the series airs and streams on the BBC there, making it easily accessible. However, in the U.S., it’s Viaplay’s main selling point, which means the series hasn’t even been given a chance to hit PBS Passport and build a following. Much like shows trapped on MGM+, Rebus might as well not exist in America, since the answer to the question “If a show streams on a service no one subscribes to, did it ever really debut?” is, so far, “Not really.”
For Outlander fans, this is borderline cruelty, since series star Richard Rankin clearly loves the role. “What I’ve always loved about Rebus is that he’s such a richly complex character. He’s fiercely driven, deeply flawed, endlessly determined, and often at war with himself. Returning to him, there’s still so much to discover, with many, many layers of the character left to explore. This next chapter promises to challenge him in ways that I’m really looking forward to bringing to life.”
Since Rebus is a mystery-of-the-week style series, the current Season 2 synopsis is pretty generalized.
Based on the best-selling books by Ian Rankin, the new series continues to explore Rebus’s complex world as he navigates Scottish crime and personal conflict. Season 2 explores the links between violent criminals and the professional bourgeois world of law and finance, where police sometimes fear to tread.
Richard Rankin (Outlander) reprises his role as Detective John Rebus with most of the main ensemble from Season 1 returning. That includes Brian Ferguson (Dept. Q) as Michael Rebus, Neshla Caplan (The Rig) as Chrissie Rebus, and Mia McKenzie (Idia) as Sammy Rebus. The main cast also includes Lucie Shorthouse (We Are Lady Parts) as DC Siobhan Clarke, Amy Manson (The Diplomat) as Rhona Moncrieffe, Stuart Bowman (Grantchester) as Ger Cafferty, Noof Ousellam (Andor) as Darryl Christie, Thoren Ferguson (Karen Pirie) as Malcolm Fox, Andrew John Tait (Shetland) as Neil MacKenzie, and Cassidy Little (Murdoch Mysteries) as Cammy.
Season 2 of Rebus will introduce a new roster of guest stars, including John Michie (Ridley), Stephen McCole (Mayflies), Emily Barber (Mobland), Lorne MacFadyen (Starstruck), Conor Berry (Vigil), Ivan Ivashkin (The Capture), Douglas Russell (Adolescence), Alexis Rodney (Death In Paradise), Joshua Haynes (Granite Harbour), Reece Montague (The Primrose Railway Children) and Olga Safronova (Lifeline).
Gregory Burke adapted the new series from Ian Rankin’s best-selling novels and will once again pen all six episodes of the new season. Director Niall MacCormick (Wallander) returns to helm all six installments for Season 2 with Angela Murray producing. Burke, Rankin, and MacCormick are the executive producers alongside Paula Cuddy, Jill Green & Eve Gutierrez for Eleventh Hour Films and Tomas Axelsson & Isabelle Hultén for Viaplay.
Rebus Season 2 is currently filming and is expected to debut sometime in 2027. Season 1 is streaming in the U.S. on Viaplay.
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